Sichuan Gong bo chicken ( Gong bo ji ding)

This dish is a classic in the Sichuan region. This dish pays homage to the emperor, Ding Baozhen, from the 19th century. As the legend goes, the Gong Bao, or Palace Guardian, wanted a late-night snack, and the chef threw together this dish of small diced chicken with peanuts and chillies, and it became one of the emperor's favourites. This is a regional variation of the recipe that adds the tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns as well. The dish has a bright red colour to warn you of the spice, but it is also very addictive. It is a super simple dish to make and one that we always enjoy. As an additional variation, we can also make this dish with shrimp.

This excellent book on Sichuan cooking is a must-have on every bookshelf. The recipes range from the simple, like this one, to the more complex and involved. This is a book I'm slowly getting into, with lots of unique and fun recipes to try.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

2 chicken breasts or thighs, deboned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon beaten egg

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine

For the sauce:

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese dark vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

6 tablespoons of water or stock

1/2 cup vegetable oil

12-15 red dried chiles

4 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon of ginger paste

4 scallions, chopped into 1-inch lengths

1/2 cup handful of peanuts + additional for garnish

Mix together the marinade with the meat; set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients, for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Mix the sauce ingredients and set aside to use as the sauce for stir-frying.

Heat the wok with vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the chiles, peppercorns, garlic, ginger and spring onion; stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes; add peanuts and stir-fry for another 1-2 min.

Add chicken cubes, stir-fry for about 4-6 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.

Pour on the reserved sauce and simmer until the dish thickens, about 3 minutes.

Garnish with ground Sichuan peppercorn and additional peanuts. Serve with rice.